1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an underwater breathing apparatus adapted for use by a swimmer to facilitate remaining submerged for extended periods of time without the use of compressed air tanks or regulators.
2. DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
A diving snorkel assembly comprising a snorkel tube having an inhalation check valve at the upper end of tube, and a mouthpiece at its lower end is seen in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,860,042, issued to Thomas A. Green on Jan. 14,1975, 4,610,246, issued to John B. Delphia on Sep. 9, 1986, and 4,655,212, issued to John B. Delphia on Apr. 7, 1987. An exhaust valve disposed adjacent to the mouthpiece enables one-way flow, with air entering through an intake and discharging through the exhaust valve into the water.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,064,646, issued to G. L. Miller on Nov. 20, 1962 and 5,027,805, issued to Kuo-Lang Kung on Jul. 2, 1991 disclose an underwater breathing apparatus including a face mask and an elongated flexible air pipe having one end attached to the mask. A float is connected to the other end of the air pipe, so the intake end of the air pipe sits above water level. In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 4,583,536, issued to Rong J. Jan, comprises a mouthpiece and an elongated flexible air pipe having one end attached to the mouthpiece. An inflatable floating body engages the other end of the air pipe exposing the end to the atmosphere.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,872,453, issued to Tony Christianson on Oct. 10, 1989 relates to an underwater breathing apparatus for purging water from a flooded snorkel. Christianson discusses a snorkel having a conduit with an unobstructed, open end above water and an underwater end with an attached mouthpiece. A chamber intersecting the conduit houses a float member which is buoyed into the conduit and blocks the upward air flow therein. A purge valve located adjacent and below the mouthpiece displaces water in the conduit by exhaling into the mouthpiece, forcing the trapped water down and out the valve.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.